Savvy

Savvy is a story about a family who resemble witches - all except Poppa. Every time a family member turns thirteen, the child gets a Savvy which is an extra special ability to they keep for the rest of their life. Mibs is about to turn thirteen and everyone wonders which Savvy she will receive and she starts being able to hear and see tatoos and ink move and speak - this is her Savvy. Mibs hitches a ride and goes on a journey to the hospital with her siblings to save her Poppa who is in a coma from an accident. The driver discovers the stowaways, lets them stay, but their ride takes many stops along the way, the driver meets Lill who understands and cares for the children. The children finally get to the hospital and Mibs tells her father that he has a Savvy too, to never give up, and Poppa speaks to Mibs through his mermaid tatoo that he will never give up and he ends up waking up from his coma.

The plot is very creative and interesting and takes the reader to an interesting world where the children have a bit of magic. Unexpected insights allow Mibs to discover her fathers Savvy.

Law, Ingrid. (2008). Savvy. New York, NY: Dial.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules

This was a humorous tale. I thought it was very believable and everything in the book could actually happen. The children are creative in the story and turn a bland day into something great. The illustrations are great!

The book has a nice format (a diary) and engages kids that are not particularly interested in reading. Illustrations are cute and comical. Boys and girls will enjoy this boy and will be able to identify with the characters. It is also now a movie.

Kinney, Jeff. (2008). Diary of a wimpy kid. Amulet.

Goosebumps, The Blob that Ate Everyone

Zackie is a young boy that loves to write scary stories and read them to his friends Alex and Adam. Alex loves Zackies stories but Adam always makes fun of the stories but Zackie writes them because he is easily scared. Alex and Zackie walk to town and come across a burned down building and they enter to explore the remnants. Zackie sees an old typewriter and wants to take it but he is shocked by electricity and falls to the ground and the shop owner gives Zackie the typewriter and a quill pen, he takes it home and then discovers it might have special powers. Zackie begins to type his scary blob story on the typewriter and everything he types begins to come true. Soon the town is being attacked by a giant blob and is now in his house along with Alex and the blob eats the typewriter so Zackie is unable to write a good ending to the story. Zackie realizes that he has the power of the story and not the typewriter so he thinks the end of the story and saves the day.

The plot carries this story because it is an interesting concept of what could happen if you are zapped by electricity. The characters are believable because they could be any child from any school that embark on a crazy adventure.

Stine, R. (1997). The Blob that ate everyone. New York, NY: Parachute Press, Inc.